Going over some lesser known configuring tools for Gradle on an Android project
In part one we talked about how Android Gradle is a powerful build tool that allows developers to easily manage dependencies, build multiple variants of an app, and customise build settings. However, many developers may not be aware of some of the lesser-known features and options that Android Gradle provides. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some tips and tricks for using Android Gradle that may not be as well-known, but can greatly improve your Android development process.
1. Using the lintGradle task
The lintGradle task is a built-in task that is used to run lint checks on your project’s Gradle files. This can be extremely useful for detecting and fixing issues with your build files, such as unresolved dependencies or misconfigured tasks. To run the lintGradle task, simply navigate to the root of your project in the command line and run the command
./gradlew lintGradle.2. Using the dependencyInsight task
The dependencyInsight task is a built-in task that is used to show detailed information about a specific dependency in your project. This can be useful for understanding the transitive dependencies of a specific library and how they are being used in your project. To run the dependencyInsight task, simply navigate to the root of your project in the command line and run the command
./gradlew dependencyInsight --configuration <configuration> --dependency <dependency>.3. Using the dependencyUpdates task
The dependencyUpdates task is a built-in task that is used to check for updates to the dependencies in your project. This can be useful for keeping your project up-to-date with the latest versions of libraries, and for identifying potential security vulnerabilities. To run the dependencyUpdates task, simply navigate to the root of your project in the command line and run the command
./gradlew dependencyUpdates.4. Using the dependencyCheck plugin
The dependencyCheck plugin is a third-party plugin that can be used to check for known vulnerabilities in the dependencies of your project. This can be a useful tool for identifying and addressing potential security issues in your project. To use the dependencyCheck plugin, simply add the following to your build.gradle file:
dependencies {
dependencyCheck gradlePlugin
}5. Using the maven-publish plugin
The maven-publish plugin is a built-in plugin that allows you to publish your project to a Maven repository. This can be useful for sharing your project with others or for distributing your project as a library. To use the maven-publish plugin, simply add the following to your build.gradle file:
apply plugin: 'maven-publish'6. Using the signing plugin
The signing plugin is a built-in plugin that allows you to sign your apk files with a private key. This is a necessary step for publishing your app to the Google Play Store, and for creating a release version of your app. To use the signing plugin, simply add the following to your build.gradle file:
apply plugin: 'signing'7. Using the com.jfrog.bintray plugin
The com.jfrog.bintray plugin is a third-party plugin that allows you to easily publish your project to the Bintray package repository. This can be useful for distributing your project as a library, and for publishing to the JCenter repository, which is used by default in many Android projects. To use the com.jfrog.bintray plugin, you need to add the following to your build.gradle file:
apply plugin: 'com.jfrog.bintray'and then configure the bintray credentials and package details in the build.gradle file.
8. Using the com.github.dcendents.android-maven plugin
The com.github.dcendents.android-maven plugin is a third-party plugin that allows you to easily publish your android library to Maven Central Repository. This can be useful for distributing your android library widely and make it easier for other developers to use it. To use the com.github.dcendents.android-maven plugin, you need to add the following to your build.gradle file:
apply plugin: 'com.github.dcendents.android-maven'and then configure the Maven Central Repository details in the build.gradle file.